11/01/08: John 11-13
"Jesus wept" (John 11:35) is the shortest verse in the entire Bible.
There was one disciple that Jesus favored above all the rest. He was referred to as "the disciple whom Jesus loved" (John 13:23--see also 19:26, 20:2, 21:7,20). This disciple is the one "who testifies to these things and who wrote them down" (21:24)--that is, John.
Interestingly, it was John under whose care Jesus put His mother while He was on the cross (John 19:26,27). Decades later, it also was John to whom Jesus appeared, when John was a very old man, and revealed the future time of the end, as written in the Book of Revelation. Also, John was one of three who were eyewitnesses to Jesus' transfiguration (Matthew 17:1,2). Furthermore, John described whom Jesus actually was and is, in much greater detail, in his Gospel book than did any of the other Gospel writers (Matthew, Mark, and Luke).
I have read varying commentaries trying to explain why Jesus would have "loved" John more than all the rest of His disciples. There are various types of "love" mentioned in the New Testament of the Bible. I see the "love" that Jesus had for John simply as a special affinity toward Him, perhaps because John had the most faith in whom Jesus was: the Son of God and the Messiah/Savior of the world. I believe history shows that all of Jesus' disciples died untimely and unpleasant deaths except for John, who most likely died of simple old age.
There was one disciple that Jesus favored above all the rest. He was referred to as "the disciple whom Jesus loved" (John 13:23--see also 19:26, 20:2, 21:7,20). This disciple is the one "who testifies to these things and who wrote them down" (21:24)--that is, John.
Interestingly, it was John under whose care Jesus put His mother while He was on the cross (John 19:26,27). Decades later, it also was John to whom Jesus appeared, when John was a very old man, and revealed the future time of the end, as written in the Book of Revelation. Also, John was one of three who were eyewitnesses to Jesus' transfiguration (Matthew 17:1,2). Furthermore, John described whom Jesus actually was and is, in much greater detail, in his Gospel book than did any of the other Gospel writers (Matthew, Mark, and Luke).
I have read varying commentaries trying to explain why Jesus would have "loved" John more than all the rest of His disciples. There are various types of "love" mentioned in the New Testament of the Bible. I see the "love" that Jesus had for John simply as a special affinity toward Him, perhaps because John had the most faith in whom Jesus was: the Son of God and the Messiah/Savior of the world. I believe history shows that all of Jesus' disciples died untimely and unpleasant deaths except for John, who most likely died of simple old age.
